--It’s in Your Blood - Chapter 3--

*Content warning. This chapter contains… not a lot that’s questionable. Relationship problems, dream blood, and talk of things that happened in the previous chapter. The story, as a whole, contains themes of self-harm. If you have a history of self-harm, consider whether or not you’ll be triggered by its depiction. Finally, the story will include non-consensual sex, but everything in this chapter is firmly consented. As always, you’ll be notified of the content at the start of each chapter.*

It was difficult to get back to normal after that, but I was trying my best. I was finally leaving the house again, at least, as I sat at that cafe and stared down into my glass of cranberry juice. The weather was nice, I can admit, but it was hard to see it.

When I awoke on the floor, I was still in immense pain, but the, er, supernatural aspects of it were gone. Instead, I just felt all the places where shards of glass were still embedded. I’m not sure if my days of unconsciousness made things better or worse, as my skin had pushed some of the glass out, while other pieces had been healed over. I did my best at extracting them (while keeping a piece of wood between my teeth), but I shudder to think of what I missed. It would take a while before I’d stop imagining hard chunks beneath my skin.

The blood had dried, and I made note of the symbols that weren’t smeared on my floor. Most of it was beyond recognition, not that I really had ever seen the script before. It might all be garbage, for all I knew, I drew it while in my state of catatonia. I had to soak the floors to get the rest of the blood out, and still it’s stained from the acids and metals the substance contains. At least I normally have a rug in that spot. My wall, on the other hand, might be due for a new coat of paint.

As for whatever crawled out of me (a thought that makes my fur bristle and my legs cross), it was long gone. Secretly, I had hoped that the experience was just my imagination, but my consciousness wasn’t buying it. Even if it wasn’t real, the trauma of the event had poisoned my thoughts.

To say I was having difficulty sleeping would be an understatement. I hadn’t slept, not one wink, since that day. Not sure what I was afraid of. Waking up to more sigils drawn on the floor? No, it was most certainly a worry that the thing would come back. I had no idea what it was or where it went, but it knew where I lived, and that was enough to scare me. The fact that it came from my body horrified me.

And that’s why I was meeting with Daisy and Colin. I watched as Daisy’s familiar face appeared from around the corner and she did her giddy walk towards my table. She paused before sitting down.

“Wow, Lee, you look like you just woke up in a dumpster,” she remarked.

I could barely muster a shrug. “That would imply I’ve slept recently, which is not the case.”

“Wh-what happened?” she asked as she adjusted her purse and settled.

I considered what details I should tell her. None, probably. Would she believe it? How would she react? No. I don’t know.

“Where’s Colin?”

“Oh, he’s off visiting family.”

“Are you fighting again?”

Sure, this relationship is supposed to be three-way, but I mostly feel like an outsider. A lot of that is probably because I don’t live with them. When I’m gone, life continues to move on for them, and I’m left catching up.

It looked like my question was an accurate one, since she gave a deflating sigh before answering.

“He asked me to marry him again.”

Yeah. Things are complicated in a polyamorous relationship. It only works when everyone communicates and things are even, but people have trouble with that. I believe that Colin isn’t fully in on the polyamory approach. He likes that he gets to fuck two women at once, but his heart belongs to Daisy, and well…

“Oh, oof,” I responded, looking at her averted gaze. “I take it he didn’t like the answer.”

“Again, yeah. He wants to have kids and he thinks we can only do that if it’s the two of us.”

Kids. The concept stirred up some emotions. If it wasn’t just that something had just forcibly emerged from my body a scant few days ago, had I mentioned that I think these two are related? I know nobles sometimes marry their cousins, but procreating with family is always a bad idea, regardless of status.

“I love him,” she continued quietly, “But I love you, too. I don’t think it’s right that he’d try and drive a wedge like marriage between us.”

I reached over and took the Ferret’s hand, rubbing her thumb gently with mine. As much as I felt the need to comfort Daisy, I couldn’t help but see Colin’s point of view. I always saw this relationship as temporary. I love the two of them, but how do you keep something like this going forever? There are so many variables, something will break eventually. People change, we make tough decisions, and if one person is ostracized by another, it breaks the careful balance. Maybe that makes me selfish, or pessimistic, or maybe I’m just realistic. That’s not for me to decide.

“Do you want me to talk to him?” I asked, but honestly, that sounded horrifying. Maybe I was too immature for a relationship like this if I even have trouble talking about it.

“No,” Daisy thankfully responded. “It’s his problem. He knew the kind of person I am when he decided to start dating me. He should have better managed his expectations”

“I don’t… exactly want to be an issue in your relationship.”

“But what about our relationship, Lee? We don’t live together, but I consider our connection just as important as I do with Colin.”

It was a sweet sentiment, even if I didn’t fully believe it. It’s not that she ever treated me poorly, it’s just… Maybe I never thought anyone could think of me as that important.

“The feeling is mutual, Daisy,” was the uncertain answer I gave.

“So, anyway, what’s bothering you?” she asked, adjusting her purse.

I had to talk to her, I just didn’t know how.

“I was actually hoping I could stay with you for a while,” was what I left it at.

She pressed her lips together, breaking eye contact. “Maybe for the night. I’d rather be alone with Colin when he comes back, and I think you might…” She paused, never finishing the thought. “Why? Is there something wrong at your place?”

Again, I considered what was safe to tell her.

“You could… say that. I just haven’t felt safe there for the past few nights.”

A look of concern crossed her face as she reached out and took my hands. “Is someone bothering you, Lee?”

“Uh, ah! Heh!”

Would the truth be worse than that assumption? I tapped my fingers on the table, thinking of how to approach this.

“Do you mind if we discuss this back at your place?”

---

I successfully avoided the conversation once we were back at Daisy’s apartment. Instead, we mostly talked about our relationship with Colin. We ate. We drank; well, she did. I think if I drank anything, it would just knock me out considering how much blood I lost a few days ago. Then, we realized how late it was and went to bed. I slept. Finally.

And that was a mistake.

I immediately descended into another nightmare. I was naked, strung up. Hanging with my limbs pulled in all directions, my torso, slack. It was uncomfortable, but that was the least of my concerns, as a robed figure stood beneath me with a dagger. It merely paced for a time, as I struggled. It seemed disinterested.

Then it reached up and grabbed my arm. It raised the dagger and touched it to my wrist, before slicing into it with a quick, vicious motion. Blood immediately began to pour like a waterfall from my veins. It repeated the action on my other wrist, as all I could do was cry out.

I felt myself growing weaker and unable to struggle. My cries grew hoarse and quiet. I wasn’t even able to protest as he placed the blade beneath my ribcage and violently thrust it into me before tugging it down my abdomen. The sound was like tearing fabric and the pain was immense. Tears dripped from my eyes to the floor below, now soaked with blood. My fingers tingled as a felt sensation draining away from them.

Finally, the robed figure stood below my head. It lifted my face, observing it from its unnaturally darkened hood. It reached up, placing the dagger on the side of my neck.

The moment I felt the blade pull against my flesh, I woke up.

---

It was an abrupt wake-up. I kicked my legs under the sheets before pulling myself upright to search the room. Daisy was startled out of her sleep by my sudden flailing, quick to sit upright herself and place a comforting hand against my back. My chest heaved as my eyes wandered the dim light and I gradually accepted reality.

“Was it a nightmare?” Daisy asked, her voice sounding sweet after the horror of my dream.

I nodded. She rubbed the bottom of my back.

“Are you okay?” she asked, leaning against me. “You never told me what was bothering you. Is someone trying to hurt you?”

I swallowed hard. “No. Not that I know of.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, but it wasn't a certain answer, either. Someone left that vial on my doorstep, and who knows the reason why?

“Then what is it?”

I looked over at her, searching her emerald eyes. 

“Something… strange happened the other day,” I said, trying to find a way to explain my situation without alarming her. “I got a package. It had a vial of liquid. Blood, as far as I could tell. It exploded in my hand.” I held up my bandaged paw to demonstrate, painfully flexing my fingers. Daisy took it and held it in hers.

There was a pause, as she gently grasped my hand and looked into my eyes with concern. “Why would someone do that?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know but…” Again, I paused. “I’m scared.”

I felt her hand run through my hair before gently pulling me into an embrace.

“It’s okay. I’m here with you now. You’re safe.”

I gripped her arm, pulling her closer against me, burying my face in her shoulder. I couldn’t tell her everything, but it was true, I was afraid. I didn’t understand what had happened, and I didn’t know what I should do. Having her there was more comfort than she could possibly understand.

She pushed some hair out of my face and kissed me. Gently, at first, but I was overcome with affection for her. I kissed her deeply. Deeper still. Parting my lips before gently pinching them together against hers. She returned the affection, and we fell back together.

I climbed atop her, our naked fur brushing against one another. I ran my hands down her shoulders and found her paws, bringing them up above her head and pinning them there. I knew what she liked. In another relationship, I imagine she’d explore BDSM, but Colin is just too vanilla, and I’m hardly a dom. Still, I wanted her to feel the way I felt about her. I’d do anything.

I pushed my knee between her legs, separating her thighs and sliding through, placing our pelvises against each other.

“Nnng, Lee,” she moaned. “Are you sure that was a nightmare you had?”

I didn’t answer that, just kissed her again. I needed something to take me out of that state of mind, I needed an outlet, I needed her. While grinding against her, I lowered my hand and cupped it over her breast, pinching her nipple between two of my fingers. I was rewarded with a yelp of pleasure.

While one hand easily kept her wrists in place and supported my weight, I lowered the other further until I felt the heat and the wetness of her womanhood.

“What were you dreaming of?” I teased, as I watched her bite her lip in anticipation.

I ran my finger along her vulva, separating two others and moving them alongside it. Make them want it, I recited to myself. Make them beg.

“Oh, Daisy,” I whispered, running my finger along her most sensitive spots. “I want you.” I was stating the obvious, but it was a mere delaying tactic.

“Take me,” she responded.

I slid two of my fingers into her, as deep as I could go, before caressing upwards. She gasped at the entry, ending it with a little moan. I continued to move my fingers, as I reached up with my thumb, seeking her clit. I rubbed it in a circular motion, keeping a grip still on her wrists. I concentrated. It wasn’t easy making two distinct motions with my hand while holding her with another that was still very much injured. I was committed, though. I wanted to make her scream with pleasure.

I could tell I was already on the right track, as she writhed beneath me. Her eyes were pressed closed, and she let out short, breathy moans as I did my work. They grew louder and louder.

Which is when I heard a key slide into the lock, followed by the door swinging open.

The apartment wasn’t very big. It took no time before Colin was standing in the doorway of the bedroom, looking in at us in the midst of our carnal act.

He pointed behind him, towards the door.

“Lianne, please leave.” There was no room for argument in his voice. It was forceful and firm.

“Colin!” Daisy protested. “I thought you weren’t coming back until tomorrow.”

He checked his watch. “It is tomorrow,” he said humourlessly, “I see you just wanted that time to play with your fucktoy.”

His statement pierced my chest. Most likely it came from a place of irrational emotion, but in the moment it just hurt. Was that really how he thought of me?

“She needed a place to stay! She’s having a hard time!” she said in my defense. “And besides, she’s your girlfriend too. You never said we couldn’t see her separately.”

“I don’t care,” he said, every word sounding like it was punctuated and underlined. “She needs to leave.”

“No, she doesn’t!”

But I was already getting up and out of bed. Colin made it readily apparent that he wasn’t about to budge, and I wasn’t going to test that. As a ferret, he wasn’t much bigger than me, but I don’t know why I was even considering violence, I wouldn’t let it come to that.

“We need to talk.”

I had barely grabbed my bundle of clothes when I felt Colin’s grip on my arm. He wasn’t being gentle about it as he immediately started tugging me towards the door.

“Stop! Colin! She’s having a rough time,” Daisy continued to protest in my defense. It didn’t seem to be having any effect, as I was still being ushered away.

“That’s her problem. We have our own problems to take care of.”

Before another word, I was pushed out the door and standing naked in the apartment hallway.

“Colin,” I said, jabbing a finger defiantly towards his face, “If you lay a finger on her, I swear…”

He simply straightened his brow at me. “Do you really think I’m that type of guy?”

Even as my arm throbbed from his grip, I had my doubts. I’ve never seen him entirely angry before, but even still, I knew how much he loved Daisy. He probably wouldn’t do anything to hurt her.

“I mean it,” was all I added as firmly as possible before the door slammed on my snout.

All I could do was sigh before hurriedly dressing myself right there in the hallway. For once, I was thankful it was the middle of the night.